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The Anza Trail and the Settling of California
A California Legacy Book, co-published with Santa Clara University. An historical account of the two Anza expeditions, in 1774 and 1776, to settle northern California.
In 1774, the Spanish viceroy of Mexico sent Juan Bautista de Anza, captain of the Presidio at Tubac (in what is now Arizona), to lead two expeditions: the first to find a safe overland route to Monterey, and the second to return Anza to California with 240 men, women, and children to establish a settlement in San Francisco.
The Anza Trail and the Settling of California synthesizes firsthand documents and diaries from the Anza expeditions to retell the story of the exploration of the Southwest and the settlement of the San Francisco Bay Area. But it also tells, on a more personal level, the story of four very different characters–Anza, the criollo commander; his partner, Francisco Garcia, a Spanish priest and explorer; Sebastian Tarabal, a Native American and accidental guide; and Salvador Palma, chief of the Yuma nation-men who overcame and in many cases benefited from their differences to ensure the success of the expeditions.
In 1774, the Spanish viceroy of Mexico sent Juan Bautista de Anza, captain of the Presidio at Tubac (in what is now Arizona), to lead two expeditions: the first to find a safe overland route to Monterey, and the second to return Anza to California with 240 men, women, and children to establish a settlement in San Francisco.
The Anza Trail and the Settling of California synthesizes firsthand documents and diaries from the Anza expeditions to retell the story of the exploration of the Southwest and the settlement of the San Francisco Bay Area. But it also tells, on a more personal level, the story of four very different characters–Anza, the criollo commander; his partner, Francisco Garcia, a Spanish priest and explorer; Sebastian Tarabal, a Native American and accidental guide; and Salvador Palma, chief of the Yuma nation-men who overcame and in many cases benefited from their differences to ensure the success of the expeditions.
248 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 2, 2022
A chance discovery at our public library, and a first-rate book. Definitely a personal resonance, as I lived in Tucson for many years and now live in San Luis Obispo county, both places featured in the book and connected by the pioneer De Anza Trail. Stay tuned!
I finished the book with a new respect for Commander de Anza, who exhibited unusually sensitive (and common-sense) leadership in these two early expeditions to and from California. You need to read the publisher's introduction first. I'll wait.
Just as you would expect, the hard parts of both round-trips were crossing the deserts. And escorting 240 settlers, a garrison to protect them, a herd of cattle, and remounts of horses and mules for the entire party, tested De Anza's organizational skills. He passed easily, not least because he treated the resident Indians fairly, and did his best to end long-standing inter-tribal conflicts. An impressive leader. A pity the Spanish didn't have more like him!
I was familiar with the broad outlines of the two expeditions, and had even walked a bit of the De Anza Trail near Tubac, Arizona when I lived near there. The old Tubac Presidio is now preserved as a state park, and Mission San Xavier del Bac, which got a major renovation a few years ago, is one of the real gems of the old Spanish missions in the desert Southwest. If you visit, don't miss sampling a fry-bread taco, cooked most days by local Indians in front of the mission. Yum!
This is Vladimir Guerrero's first book, and appears to be his only popular history book. I hope he writes another, as one seldom encounters such a well-written and even-handed popular history. Bravo!
I finished the book with a new respect for Commander de Anza, who exhibited unusually sensitive (and common-sense) leadership in these two early expeditions to and from California. You need to read the publisher's introduction first. I'll wait.
Just as you would expect, the hard parts of both round-trips were crossing the deserts. And escorting 240 settlers, a garrison to protect them, a herd of cattle, and remounts of horses and mules for the entire party, tested De Anza's organizational skills. He passed easily, not least because he treated the resident Indians fairly, and did his best to end long-standing inter-tribal conflicts. An impressive leader. A pity the Spanish didn't have more like him!
I was familiar with the broad outlines of the two expeditions, and had even walked a bit of the De Anza Trail near Tubac, Arizona when I lived near there. The old Tubac Presidio is now preserved as a state park, and Mission San Xavier del Bac, which got a major renovation a few years ago, is one of the real gems of the old Spanish missions in the desert Southwest. If you visit, don't miss sampling a fry-bread taco, cooked most days by local Indians in front of the mission. Yum!
This is Vladimir Guerrero's first book, and appears to be his only popular history book. I hope he writes another, as one seldom encounters such a well-written and even-handed popular history. Bravo!
August 3, 2013
Juan Bautista de Anza was commissioned by the Spanish military to discover a route and lead a population of immigrants to Alta California to establish a settlement in the San Francisco area in 1774. The substance of this book was taken from journals and diaries of Anza and the Jesuit priests that accompanied him. The expedition started in Mexico and crossed Arizona, the Colorado River and then moving into the California desert and crossing the Sierra mountains. They encountered friendly natives and lost many animals (horses and mules) dying from exhaustiion and thirst while always searching for water and good pasture land on their 193 day journey.
January 24, 2021
Good account of de Anza's expeditions to Alta California in 1774-1776 (with maps). A must-read for those who're interested in history of California.
January 5, 2025
"Whether mestizo, white, indigenous, or black, they were a close-knit society with strong cultural and religious ties. As Spanish subjects relocating within their domains, they remained loyal to their king. It was only seventy-five years later, with Spain and England expelled from the American mainland, that the United States in its westward expansion came to them, and these immigrants -- assuming the name of 'Californios' -- took their place in American history." (xvii)
January 9, 2017
Unfortunate that this is not required reading in California's schools. The story of Spanish California's first legitimate settler push into California, to San Francisco, by one de Anza, in the same era as the American revolution. A marvelous account of an obscure but critical and fascinating series of historical events.
September 18, 2021
Fascinating story of the first group of explorers to cross the Mexican/US deserts and head north to San Francisco. Not just crammed with historical facts, this edition is very readable and the maps add to the story of time and place.
December 2, 2013
Good story about the story of the other America. I read this book while living part time in Arizona and I was visiting the old Spanish misions.
May 23, 2016
Awesome California and Spanish history, that reads like a Louis L'Amour novel. Really good scholarly stuff.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews